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Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, AM, welcomed guests to the first official showing of the work, at the Welsh pavilion, which is located in an old brewery building, the Ex-Birreria, on the island of Giudecca. Around 400 people attended one of the most highly anticipated events of the Biennale, with music provided by DJ's Llwybr Llaethog, Y Diwygiad [Ed Holden/Aneirin Karadog] and Bethan Elfyn.

It wasn't only the international art world that had its first viewing of Dyddiau Du/Dark Days, this was also the first time that the Commissioner for Wales at Venice, Mari Beynon Owen, had seen the completed installation:

"I had agreed with John Cale not to have a preview of the work before going to Venice because I knew that seeing and hearing the work in the Capannone space would be a unique experience. It is an extremely powerful piece which will undoubtedly provoke strong responses.

"It's hard to believe that it's been less than six months since we started the production work. Everyone has worked extremely hard to bring the artist's ideas to fruition in a very short time and for me personally it has been an extremely rewarding experience to work with John and the team.''

Dyddiau Du/Dark Days is a personal reflection on Cale's relationship with Wales, the Welsh language and its unique bardic tradition. Curator, Bruce Haines, said:

''I know that everyone who makes the short journey across the Giudecca Canal will be rewarded with probably the most tangibly physical experience of an audio visual art work that they will have ever had.''

Working with cinematographer Bevis Bowden, Cale undertook a series of cathartic physical performances to create a work which became an intensely emotional journey for the artist as John explains:

"This was for me an extraordinary adventure into my past, exploring that which has never been removed -the ties to ones heritage and self. I hope all of Wales will feel the pride I do in being offered the opportunity to present my work at the Pavilion".

Attending the Venice Biennale for the first time, Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, AM, was impressed by the Welsh presence at the Biennale, and recognised the importance of providing an international platform for Welsh artists:

"John Cale is very well-known for his music, but this installation reveals him as a multi-dimensional artist of some measure. I felt that it has much to say about his relationship with his homeland and its culture. It's an honour for John to represent Wales at the Biennale and it's an honour for Wales to have John as our representative at this important event."

John Cale: Wales at Venice is produced and managed by the Arts Council of Wales with support from the Welsh Assembly Government, British Council, Wales Arts International and with coordination in Venice by Nuova Icona.

/Ends

Notes for Editors:

The installation is situated within Capannone 1 at the Ex-Birreria, a former brewery building on the traditional workers' island of Giudecca, home to three previous presentations from Wales at the International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia.

The launch event for Dyddiau Du/Dark Days is supported by Castle Fine Art Foundry, Gagosian Gallery, London and Tŷ Nant Water.

Born in Garnant, South Wales, in 1942, John Cale attended Goldsmiths College, London where he studied musicology and discovered John Cage through his seminal publication Silence (1961) before moving to New York. There he met LaMonte Young, collaborating with the Theatre of Eternal Music, which included artists Walter de Maria and Tony Conrad, before founding The Velvet Underground with Lou Reed.

John Cale: Wales at Venice takes place at Capannone 1, Ex-Birreria, Giudecca 800/o. Exhibition open: 7 June - 22 November 2009, Times: 7 June - 27 September, 11am - 7pm; 29 September - 22 November, 12 - 6pm. Closed Mondays. Vaporetto stop: Palanca. Free Entry.

Previous presentations from Wales include: Further: Artists from Wales in 2003 (Bethan Huws, Simon Pope, Paul Seawright, Cerith Wyn Evans); Somewhere Else in 2005 (Peter Finnemore, Laura Ford, Paul Granjon and Bedwyr Williams); And So It Goes in 2007 (Richard Deacon, Merlin James, Heather & Ivan Morison).

We gratefully acknowledge everyone who facilitated the film and sound work: the people of Garnant, Kay Lockwood, the Reverend John Talfryn Jones, Ebenezer Chapel Ammanford, the Miners Theatre Ammanford.

Alison Balfour Paul, Cathedral School, Llandaff and pupils; Adarsh Aji, Anuja Gaitonde, Maebh Pryor, Catrin Jones, Jessica Norton, Evan Thomas, Clara Hartley, Caterina Ionescu, Claudia Herbert, Lydia Morris, Dania Nabih;

Tony Thomas, First Hydro Company, Stewart Roberts, Gavin Parry and Pendyrus Male Choir, Rhondda Fach Sports Centre, Nick McDonald, City and County of Swansea, Wales Screen Commission, Chris Buxton, Swansea Metropolitan University; Dr.Heike Roms, Dustin Boyer and Mickey Petralia.

A special thanks to the artists and poets who provided inspiration and support to the project : Iwan Bala, Ifor Davies, T.James Jones, Iwan Llwyd and Geraint Løvgreen.

Further information:
Joanna Davies
Senior Press and Media Officer, Arts Council of Wales
Tel: +44 845 873 4900
joanna.davies@artswales.org.uk

Mari Beynon Owen
Commissioner, Wales at Venice
tel: +44 845 873 4900
maribeynonowen@walesvenicebiennale.org

Wales at the Venice Biennale of Art
Arts Council of Wales
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www.walesvenicebiennale.org.uk/